China says its jt statement with US not directed at India

Sagar Kulkarni
Copenhagen, Dec 18 (PTI) Weeks after the Sino-US joint
statement on Indo-Pak ties drew India's ire, Chinese Premier
Wen Jiabao Friday assured his Indian counterpart Manmohan
Singh that his country did not have any intention to
"interfere" in the affairs of South Asia.

During his meeting with Singh on the margins of the
climate talks here, Premier Wen made a reference to the joint
statement between China and the US during the visit of
President Barack Obama to Beijing last month, Indian Foreign
Secretary Nirupama Rao said.
"He (Wen) said the formulation in a certain section of
that joint statement relating to South Asia was not directed
or targeted at India."
"China respects India and would like to pursue relations
with India on equality and it did not have any intention to
interfere in the affairs of our region and there should be no
misunderstanding between the two countries in this regard,"
Rao quoted Wen as saying.
Singh appreciated Wen's remarks on the joint statement
and said that the people in India wanted good relations with
China.
"Pending (resolution of) outstanding issues between our
two countries, we should maintain peace and tranquillity on
our borders," Singh said.
During Obama's visit to Beijing last month, the US and
China had voiced support for the improvement in Indo-Pak ties
and their readiness to promote peace and stability in the
region. (More) PTI SKU
MYR


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